Building construction and method



-1 1962 G. D. ANDERSON 3,058,549

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD Filed June 6. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

GEORGE 1). ANDERSON 1N VENTOR.

Oct 16, 1 G. D. ANDERSON 3,058,549

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD Filed June 6. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GEORGE DANDERSON INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofihce 3,658,549 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 3,058,549 BUILDING CONSTRUiITIQN AND METHQD George ll). Anderson, 1711 W. Stevenson St, Indianapolis, Ind. Filed June 6, 1958, Ser. No. 740,474 2 Claims. (1. 189-1) This invention relates to building construction, and has particular application to the construction of buildings of the nature of an airplane hangar.

A general objective of my present invention is to provide a novel building construction of economical manufacture and assembly.

Another objective is to provide a novel building construction of sufiicient strength but light in weight, utilizing the structural advantages of tubular metal.

In carrying out my invention in an illustrative embodiment, I provide a series of main trusses, spanning trusses, and intermediate trusses, all generally formed from tubular metal welded into the desired truss sections.

The truss sections are formed with various details to achieve the general objects of economy of manufacture and assembly, as to be more fully described in the detailed description to follow. I provide a planned method of erection, utilizing the construction details of the trusses, providing a rapid and efiicient assembly of the building, thus adding to the general economy achieved.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of my invention will further appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the construction and assembly method thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are generally schematic in nature, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a generally diagrammatic, isometric view of a hangar according to principles of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken detail of a portion of a main truss of the hangar illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a broken detail of a portion of an intermediate truss thereof;

FIG. 4 is a detail view illustrating upper portions of a typical joint of a main truss with a spanning truss;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but illustrating the lower portions of such a joint, and indicating a fragment of one of the supporting columns of the hangar;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental detail of a typical joint used in assembling the trusses;

FIG. 7 illustrates a clip to which the roof purlins may be secured; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a desired sequence of truss assembly.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the building construction takes the form of an airplane hangar 10, having elements herein designated as a series of main trusses 12, spanning trusses 14, and intermediate trusses 16, supported on column-members 18 suitably braced by diagonal braces 19.

According to concepts of my invention, such elements are formed from tubular metal, and are formed and assembled in a novel and advantageous manner, which provides for sturdiness and strength with economy of manufacture and assembly.

I shall first describe the various major elements of the building shown in the drawings, particularly with reference to the overall schematic representation in FIG. 1, and then describe details and the advantageous assembly of those elements.

Beginning with the laterally extending main trusses 12, they are shown as comprised of an upper chord 20, and a lower chord 22 with web-members 24 extending between to form the truss structure.

The longitudinally-extending spanning trusses 14 likewise are shown as having an upper chord 23, and a lower chord 30 with web-members 32 extending between.

Similarly, the laterally-extending intermediate trusses 1-6 are shown as having an upper chord 36, a lower chord 38 and web-members 40.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper chord 20 of main truss 12, and the lower chord 22 thereof, are formed to have concave seats 42; thus, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, they respectively seat onto the upper and lower chords 28 and 30 of the spanning truss 14. The manner and sequence of that assembly, yet to be described, bring out particular assembly advantages of the concave seats.

FIG. 6 indicates a typical joint, illustrated here by one of the web-members 32 collapsed as at 44 and welded to a chord-member 28 of the spanning truss.

FIG. 7 illustrates a clip 48 by which the roof purlins 49 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) are secured. Clip 48 is shown as formed into an angle shape, having a horizontal leg 50 to lie along upper chord 20 of the main truss, and an upright leg 52, the horizontal clip-leg 50 being welded onto the upper truss chord with the vertical clip-leg 52 extending upwardly to support the purlin 49 seated thereagainst. Vertical clip-leg 52 is shown as provided with an opening 54 through which may extend a suitable fastening means (not shown) for holding the purlin.

One of the novel concepts of my invention is the method of assembly of the various parts and sections, as will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, in the situation of large spans of the main trusses, the main trusses 12 are formed of two half-sections 54 and 56, each shown as comprising the web-members 24 and chords 2! and 22 as above described. A central upright member 58 is welded to one of the half-sections 54 or 56 before transport to the construction site. Then, at the site, the other of the halfsections 54 or 56 is brought into position as shown in FIG. 2, and welded to form the complete main truss 12.

Likewise, intermediate trusses 16 are shown as formed as half-sections 60 and "62 (see FIG. 3). To assemble one of these trusses 16, I lay those sections 6% and 62 on top of one of the main trusses 12, the latter serving as a template defining the angular relation of the halfsections '60 and 62. Their abutting ends are then welded, forming the intermediate truss 16.

A novel assembly of the sections is illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 8, the letters ae indicating the sequence of assembly.

As there indicated, the first section (a) to be erected onto the braced column structure 1819 is shown as one of the spanning trusses 14 Then (b) the full main truss 12 is shown as installed, its concave seats 42 fitting to the spanning truss 14 of step a, and helping to orient those two trusses, which are then tack-welded.

Next (0) the second main truss 12 is shown as erected, its seats 42 aiding the orientation of it with the spanning truss 14 of step a, and those members are tack-welded.

Now it will be recognized that the main truss seats 42 opposite the first spanning truss 14 of step a provide spaced receiving stations to guide the location of the second spanning truss 14 now installed as section d of the assembly.

Succeeding steps follow in a like sequence, with intermediate braces 16 being added as step e as desired, with the assembly being plumbed and the tack welds made permanently secured.

The number of such added patterns depends upon the size of the hangar desired, the pattern of FIG. 8 contemplating a single airplane sized hangar.

It will thus be seen from the following description of my invention according to an illustrative embodiment, considered with the accompanying drawings and claims, that the present invention provides a new and useful building construction and method, having desired advantages and characteristics and accomplishing its intended objects, including those thereinbefore mentioned and others which are inherent in the invention.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be efiected without departing from the novel concepts of my invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A building construction, comprising a main truss section adapted to extend between spanning members, a series of purlin-supporting means carried thereon, a second truss section also for extending between spanning members in a generally parallel relation to the main truss section and being formed of a plurality of partial sections, the several purlin-securing means carried on the main truss extending uniformly above the main truss and providing thereby a template defining the angular relationship of the partial sections of the second truss section.

2. A method of building erection, including the steps of: erecting a spanning truss running longitudinally and horizontally extending along one length of the building,

erecting a lateral truss extending laterally and generally horizontally extending from the spanning truss, erecting a second lateral truss extending laterally and generally horizontally extending from the said spanning truss but spaced from the said first lateral truss, the extending ends of said first and second lateral trusses providing spaced stations horizontally removed from the said spanning truss and adapted to locate and support a second spanning truss, and erecting a second longitudinally-extending and horizontally extending spanning truss located with reference to the spaced locating stations provided by the said first and second lateral trusses and supported thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 468,841 Stephenson Feb. 16, 1892 975,426 Hill Nov. 15, 1910 2,138,291 Callaghan Nov. 29, 1938 2,201,504 Ruppel May 21, 1940 2,256,812 Miller Sept. 23, 1941 2,316,560 Causey Apr. 13, 1943 2,569,628 Craighead et al Oct. 2, 1951 2,588,225 Fish Mar. 4, 1952 2,662,272 Macomber Dec. 15, 1953 2,736,613 Jagiel Feb. 28, 1956 2,808,137 Lewis Oct. 1, 1957 2,815,831 Hield et a1. Dec. 10, 1957 2,871,997 Simpson et a1 Feb. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 455,063 France May 14, 19-13 

